A controversial press conference held in Hamburg has reignited debate over the fate of Timmy, the humpback whale who captured global attention earlier this year after becoming stranded in the shallow waters of Wismar Bay on Germany's Baltic coast. DNA test results presented at the event suggest that the whale found dead on the shores of Anholt — a small Danish island in the Kattegat sea — may not have been Timmy at all. However, scientists and most members of the original rescue team have distanced themselves from the findings, raising serious questions about the quality of the evidence.

The story began in spring when Timmy swam into the Bay of Wismar and became trapped in shallow water. A costly, privately funded rescue operation transported the whale by barge to the North Sea, where it was released. Experts had warned from the outset that the animal was gravely ill and that the operation was unlikely to succeed. Shortly after the release, a dead humpback whale washed ashore near Anholt. Danish authorities confirmed the animal's identity through a veterinary examination, photographic comparison of its tail fluke — which, like a fingerprint, is unique to each individual — and the recovery of the tracker that had been attached to Timmy during the rescue. The state environment ministry of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern subsequently presented tracking data showing the whale's path from its release point to the waters near Anholt.

The new DNA results were presented by Kirsten Tönnis, a veterinarian specialising in small domestic animals who had been part of the rescue team. Speaking alone on stage, Tönnis said the two DNA samples — one taken from Timmy before release, one from the beached carcass — differed so significantly that they might not even belong to the same species. She revealed that the analysis had been carried out by an anonymous institute in China, as no German laboratory had agreed to conduct it, reportedly due to concerns about the political sensitivity of the case. The two analysts who were supposed to present the findings alongside her withdrew at the last minute, citing fears of professional damage.

Scientists and journalists were quick to point out the logical flaw in the conclusions: if the samples appear to come from different species, the more likely explanation is contamination or improper handling of the samples, not that a different animal washed ashore. Tönnis herself acknowledged she did not fully understand all aspects of the analysis and admitted uncertainty about some of the laboratory's responses, partly blaming a language barrier. It remains unclear who collected the second sample, under what conditions, and whether proper scientific standards were followed. Marine biologist Thilo Maack of Greenpeace was unequivocal: